2008 House Bill 443 (Cigarette tax increase)

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Introduced by Rep. David Watkins on February 1, 2008, to create an additional surtax on cigarettes of 70 cents per pack and increase tax rates on other tobacco products.
- Referred to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on February 4, 2008.

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Comments

Introduced by Rep. David Watkins on February 1, 2008. New Comment

1) You're A Bunch of Nazis [by Anonymous Citizen on May 20, 2008]
We should tax health foods, health care, drugs leading to longer life, exercise equipment, health clubs, etc., because they all lead to people rotting away in nursing homes, collecting social security and medicare, with huge health care bills.
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2) Wake up to the real debate. [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
You guys have it all backwards. It is true that smokers have higher health care costs, by about 40%. But, a smoker’s shorter life expectancy means they will draw less social security retirement. Actuarial studies show that the higher health care cost is more than offset by the lower retirement benefits received. Check out these articles for the data. http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/reg20n3c.html http://www.duke.edu/web/nicotine/smokingfacts.html

So if you want to fix the social security crisis, give a teenager a pack of cigarettes.

Does that sound outrageous? Maybe we should just increase the tax on cigarettes to discourage teenagers from starting, and encourage older folks to quit. Maybe we would be better off as a society if our biggest concern was funding healthy retirements, rather than paying to keep people alive during a slow, painful, self-inflicted early death.

If that is a tough call for you, you are not being honest with yourself, much less the rest of us.

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3) out of control taxation [by newmark on March 25, 2008]
This bill is to raise the tax ANOTHER 70 cents over the 30 cents already passed in HB262, which is over the existing $0.30/pack tax.

This is a sneak-attack to get the tax to $1.30 per pack. Compared to the current $0.30/pack tax, which was only recently increased from $0.03/pack, this is a tremendous increase in cigarette taxes over what they were just a couple of years ago. 4233% increase, in fact. Absolutely ridiculous.

Come on. Stop wasting money, and you could actually cut back on taxes instead of increasing them.

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4) correction [by newmark on March 25, 2008]
My bad, HB262 increased cigarette taxes by $0.25, to $0.55/pack. Another $0.70/pack tax would take the total tax to $1.25/pack. This is a 4066.67% increase over the $0.03/pack tax prior to a couple of years ago.

Just want to be accurate.
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5) the unjust [by Anonymous Citizen on March 24, 2008]
the non-smoker says that raising taxes on cigarettes will reduce th amount of smokers this may be true but this in all actuality will only help cut it down for a short time has the non-smoker thought about some of the side effects of the higher price for cigarettes if not maybe they should one such side effect would be that there will be less money available for food to feed our children because the smoker will continue to smoke then they say by raising taxes on cigarettes will help pay for the treatments that may occur through smoking well do we smokers not also pay taxes to the state and federal goverment just as they do lets not put the burden of health care on the smoker for we all kwon there are other ways of getting money for the goverment to waste one way we can do this is to stop some of these people that don't want to work from getting welfare is it fair for me the smoker to have to pay more taxes so these lazy SOB's can get a free ride i don't think sothe last time i checked smoking was still legal also in the 20's and 30's we tried to get rid of alcohal but it's still here and it is cosidered as a health problem right so whats the differance in paying for someone going through rehab 4 or 5 times and paying for the smokers health problems
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6) To "the unjust" [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
Please use some punctuation. Your rant was very hard to follow. Did you say you won't feed your children as well if you have to pay more for your cigarettes? Also, nobody is advocating prohibition on cigarettes. You can’t tax what you can’t sell. I still don’t get your reference to rehab and smoker health care, but then again, it was very difficult to comprehend any of it without punctuation.
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7) Your Boss [by msking on March 20, 2008]
This tax is biased.Why should only a certain few
have to pay for the next overpriced roadway,
building or whatever you decide to give to one
of your "buddies". Vote NO!
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8) bad analogy [by Anonymous Citizen on March 21, 2008]
The smoking tax will not be used for roads. Roads are paid for with multi year bond issues. However, I do agree that the cigarette tax should be used solely for smoking related issues rather than going into the general fund. In fact, the fairest way to calculate the public cost of treating smoking related illnesses and dividing it by the number smokers. Will this make smoking cost prohibitive for many people? Probably, but as smokers quit, health care costs will drop and the tax can be distributed. Oh, and to be fair, take the cost of treating liver disease and place similar tax on alcohol. Believe me, it will only be a fraction of the cost of supporting chronic health problems caused by smoking.
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9) gman [by Anonymous Citizen on March 4, 2008]
lets just up the taxes on everything while you are at it i'm claiming discrimination if its only on tobacco
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10) Ridiculous [by Anonymous Citizen on March 3, 2008]
This is ridiculous. These Frankfort Fat Cats keep spending like they are drunk and then tell us that we have a budget crisis. Enough already! Cut the spending Frankfort - GO ON A DIET!
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11) lets be fair [by kyphilly3 on February 16, 2008]
come on!!!!!......we know you dont like cigarette smokers.....too bad!!!....nobody's perfect!!!and doubt any of you can say you are ...You have curved our smoking anyway...we cant go to resturants or practically anywhere and smoke.....so...the question is....why cant you go for it all....gambling..drinking..smoking..people do not like being picked on...
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12) Finally! [by Anonymous Citizen on February 5, 2008]
Let's see...KY ranks near the bottom nationally in cigarette taxes but near the top in total number of smokers. We also lead the country in pregnant mothers that smoke. In addition, KY ranks near the top in heart and other cardio vascular diesase and..that's right,Im not finished....KY ranks near the top nationally in the % of citizens who recieve Medicaid benefits. So, by increasing the cost of cigarettes, we as a state would a) create much needed revenue b)bring our state in line with the rest of the country as far as a cigarette tax goes, c) hopefully reduce the number of smokers, especially pregnant mothers, in the state by forcing some to quit and preventing young peopel from starting, d) reduce the numbers of cardiovascular illness/disease related to smoking and e) reduce costs incurred by our Medicaid to care for smokers recieving health care which is paid for by tax payers. And the argument against this is what now? You guys don't want to pay an additional 70 cents for your smokes? Get real. I don't want to pay for your oxygen when you come down with emphazema or another illness due to your cancer sticks. This is not a tax on you, it is a tax on a product. And our bourbon industry is taxed to the point that a $15 dollar bottle retults in nearly $10 going to the governent. Clear the smoke out of your eyes and recognize facts from fiction. And another thing. I for one am so sick of coming to an intersection or any other public place and seeing the hundreds if not thousands of cigarette butts laying on the gound. Have some class smokers and stop wrecking the sides of our roads, parking lots, etc with your butts. But otherwise, somke em if you got em...or can afford em.
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13) increase smoking tax better Kentucky [by Anonymous Citizen on February 26, 2008]
I agree this is not a tax on those of you that smoke but on a product. We pay thousands of dollars each year to add Medicare. So I say suck it up. You are doing more harm then good. I just recently moved to this state and I could not believe how people smoked. It is a shame, and looks bad for the state of Kentucky and its citzens. Action needs to be taken to prevent Heart disease that is the number one killer and those of you that smoke increaseing your risk. If you had any knowledge on what smoking can do then it would not even be a question.
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14) heart disease [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
I think we should propose a $0.25 per pound food tax on all foods which have a 5% or greater fat content. That way we can stop the scourge of poor diets. We could help stop heart disease, diabetes, etc. Heart disease is more commonly caused by poor diet.

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15) Anonymous Citizen [by Anonymous Citizen on February 15, 2008]
This is in response to FINALLY! Yes, smoking is unhealthy, and so is stuffing your face with food, going out to eat because your too lazy to stay home and cook a healthy meal, it's called obestity. What about the children who gets themselves up in the morning, many not having breakfast before going to school only because their so-called mom and/or dad is still in bed sound asleep, what kind of a healthy environment is that? There are more than cigarette butts on the side of the roads,if you seen bottles, cans, plastics, papers you name it i have and you have as well, still think it's healthy. What about kids having kids, kids killing kids and how many times have you been somewhere with the one you love and some (normally young) person starts using four letter words like there is no other launguage. What happened to diginty, respect and discipline. When was the last time you lost someone because of a drunk driver? You say you haven't, well make sure you speak up when you do. Right now your speaking up simply because it doesn't affect you directly, your a non-smoker, let me hear you fuss and cluck when it does affect you.
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16) Respone [by Anonymous Citizen on February 26, 2008]
Yes as a country we have several issues that need to be addressed. More then likely those parents that can't afford to feed there kids are also more like to let there children smoke and not provide the message on how smoking is bad for your health. An increase in tax can prevent children and others from even starting to smoke. Be smart and realize that we need to take care of those who are not taken care of like neglected children.
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17) smoker [by Anonymous Citizen on February 3, 2008]
No new taxes. Why should smokers be the ones having to pay extra taxes? I don't think so! Just because we smoke, doesn't give legislature the right to have smokers pay extra taxes to relieve the slumping economy in KY. Don't forget....Tobacco used to be the main farm revenue in KY. No wonder everyone is going broke!
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18) Hell no!! [by Anonymous Citizen on February 2, 2008]
Hell no. No more taxes for anything. Watkins is a moron anyway. Vote no, no, no for any new tax. Enough of this BS already. Anyone listening out there?
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19) NO TAXES [by helen on February 2, 2008]
Taxing cigarettes is an invasion of our personal RIGHTS! It takes money out of our pocket and gives to the government if we want to smoke. It pays the government for our RIGHT to smoke. And where does the government get the authority to tax us for smoking? This is a basic RIGHT or choice we have being an American citizen. If the argument of incurred expenses to our health care system is used, you will also have to apply that argument to many other vices man has - to name a big one - alcohol/drinking. Do not select one unless you plan to select all, or your arguments don't hold water!

In fact, cigarettes are not as bad as alcohol (killing innocent people, more expensive, etc.), so don't select cigarettes unless you select other vices? This is an unfair selection of a certain vice you don't like! This is an invasion of our personal RIGHT to smoke, basically. And where does it stop? If congress hates all the vices of mankind, taxing them all would seem ridiculous, right? But choosing all or just one to tax is still an invasion of our RIGHTS! We would have to pay extra money to smoke, drink, gamble, etc.

DO NOT VIOLATE OUR RIGHTS BY TAXING US TO SMOKE!! VOTE NO ON ANY TAX INCREASE!

Tax payer and non-smoker

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20) NO NEW TAXES [by newmark on February 2, 2008]
Stop raising taxes. The problem is not income. The problem is overspending and waste.

Let's put taxes on the campaigns of political candidates operating within the state of Kentucky. Let's make it a five-times multiple of the "peasant" rate -- so they'd have to pay sales taxes, income taxes, and property taxes at 5 times the rate of everyone else. Let's see how quick they are to raise taxes when they're directly effected, moreso than the everyday person.

There's no smaller and more-hated minority than politicans. I think this could pass without a problem.

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21) why us [by why us on March 25, 2008]
you say raising taxes on cigarettes will bring in more money and reduce the smokers well where will you get more money when people smoking from the non smoker or willyou just add more taxes to cigarettes so that the smoker has to pay even more to smokeyou say this extra money is going for childerns health why should the smoker without kids have to pay for the non-mokers kids health coverage when the smoker already pays more for health coverage than the non-smoker
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22) why not [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
Smokers take a disproportionate share of state resources in the form of health care. Why do you object to contributing back something?
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23) Tobacco farmer and smoker. [by Anonymous Citizen on March 28, 2008]
Tobacco paid for every thing in KY. It has also kept the country afloat since the beginning. The Revolutionary war was funded by tobacco. Most the founding fathers were tobacco farmers.This tax increase in NOT about fighting teen smoking, or anything except lining pockets.

These fools need to do the same as me and tighten their belts, and spend wisely. Tobacco has, and continues to do far more good than harm, or it would have been outlawed many years agop. It all boils down to greed, and the almighty dollar.

Wake up people before they come after your luxuries. Lets pass a fair to everyone tax if the state needs more money. The only legal, fair tax per the Constitution is sales tax on every thing.
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24) Re-Tobacco Farmer and Smoker [by Anonymous Citizen on March 30, 2008]
We need to raise taxes on all tobacco products by at least $0.25- cents per year , until we have a $3.00- dollars per pack sales tax on all tobacco and cigarettes products sold in kentucky.Tobacco products cause more harm and deaths and increase healthcare costs than any other products sold anywhere in the state of kentucky.It time to stand up and demand increase sales taxes on tobacco and cigarettes products ( i also think we need alot more sales taxes increases on all alcoholic beverages products sold in kentucky as well ).Sales taxes increases on tobacco and cigarettes does not hurt or effect and do any harm to the tobacco farmers or tobacco manufacturing companies.But sales tax increases will stop people from smoking , especially the children in kentucky and over time adults will begin to stop smoking as well because of the increase sales taxes on tobacco and cigarettes products.We need to send a very clear and strong message against tobacco and cigarettes products sold or made in kentucky and the usa.We to let the tobacco companies know that there harmful products are not wanted here in the state of kentucky.There is no products that cause more harm,deaths,diseases than tobacco and cigarettes.Its time to wake up and say no to tobacco and cigarettes.
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25) The proof is in the pudding [by Anonymous Citizen on March 30, 2008]
You know, we pass statutory rape laws to protect 14 year olds from having sex. Why? Because they don't have the maturity to make the decision. For the exact same reason, we need to reel in the pay day lenders. Any person that believes borrowing money at usurous rates of over 400% is a good deal is in no better position than a 14 year old being wooed by older men. She might know she is getting screwed, but she has no idea of the harm being caused. Anybody that fights for the right to be charged pay day lender interest rates deserves to be protected by this bill. Just like we protect our children from sexual predators, we need to protect the financially immature citizens from our state by the financial rape impose upon them by pay day lenders. Anybody who writes in support of pay day lenders is either getting an easy paycheck by taking advantage of the poor and disenfranchised, or they are the working poor who have been brainwashed by the loan sharks. Nobody starved today before 'cash advance' type business opened their doors. Encourage financial responsibility and pass this bill.
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26) So what? [by Anonymous Citizen on March 29, 2008]
So the founding fathers were tobacco farmers. With a life expectansy of 40 to 50 years, most of them didn't live long enough to develop lung cancer. Many of them were slave owners too? Should we get nostolgic about slavery because it helped build this country? Should we keep using asbestos in our homes since it makes for some pretty good insulation? Lead makes a really good paint base but it pretty rough on kids who chew on painted wood. Times change. We learn. We grow. Well, some of us do.
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27) i never [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
I never signed up for medicare or medicaid. I'd opt-out of them in a heartbeat if I never had to pay into these giant wastes of money.
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28) You never would....... [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
Let’s do the math. A pack a day smoker would spend $6,387.50 over the next 25 years with a 70 cent increase. The average heart bypass surgery costs $20,000. Sounds like a bargain. What is the total cost of smoking related healthcare? It would be staggering to calculate. We can probably cap it at $50,000 if you don’t get a lung transplant.

A twenty year old who smoked a pack a day until 67 would spend $12,008.50 over 47 years of his work life. Still a bargain. It would take a $2.91 tax per pack over 47 years for a pack a day smoker to come close to covering the estimated impact their smoking will have on the Medicare system.

If the liberals would let you permanently opt out of Medicare in order to save the inconvenience of a cigarette tax, I’d be all for it. It would be a bargain for the taxpayer. But for some reason, the poor and the stupid are equally entitled to free health care in old age. So whatever tax increase we end up with, whether it is 25 cents, 70 cents, or even 1.50 per pack, you can sit back with each breath you take, enjoy the fact that you are still sticking it to the man by taking more than your fair share of free medical benefits in your old age.

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29) Bad analogy [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
Who said anything about raising the cigarette tax to pay for child healthcare? Child healthcare should be paid for by the general fund because that is a societal issue. Most people want to see poor kids covered by basic health care. After all, it is not the child’s fault they were born into poverty, or have parents who won’t/can’t provide healthcare.

The additional cigarette tax should go directly toward subsidizing the cost of smoking related healthcare. And there is no way they could ever raise enough money from cigarette taxes to cover the chronic conditions related to smoking, especially as the biggest generation of post World War II smokers are quickly aging and requiring so much additional care. So the rest of us will be stuck subsidizing it through taxes in any event.

Healthcare insurance costs more for smokers? Is that relevant? I fly airplanes, so my life insurance costs more than non-pilots because I CHOOSE to engage in a risky activity. If only private health insurance could cover the cost smoking imposes on our health care system. No, medicaid/medicare picks up most of the tab since the real cost of smoking does not kick in until a person ages. We pass laws so we don’t have to breath in your smoke in airplanes, restaurants or public buildings. What makes you think we want to be taxed to death to treat your heart disease?

I know smoking is highly addictive, and that needs to be addressed as well. But don’t blame skyrocketing cost of healthcare on children. It is disgusting. Show some responsibility for your choices.

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